EU: General Vehicle Safety Regulation – update of references to regulatory acts

 

The EU Commission has updated the references to regulatory acts annexed to the General Vehicle Safety Regulation.

The references to regulatory acts listed in the Annexes of the General Vehicle Safety Regulation must be updated to reflect the most recent regulatory developments.

Specifically, the Annexes should be revised to include the relevant UN and EU regulations that set out the technical requirements for type-approval of motor vehicles with respect to:

• Direct vision
• Event data recorders (for heavy-duty vehicles)
• Enlarged head impact zones
• Advanced driver distraction warning systems.

This Regulation is intended to align EU legislation with the latest technical and regulatory progress made within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) World Forum for the Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). To this end, the list of UN Regulations referenced in Article 4(2) and contained in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 should be updated to include new UN Regulations as well as recent amendments to existing ones, where such regulations are mandatory for granting EU type-approval.

Additionally, Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144—which outlines the requirements referenced in Articles 4(5) and 5(3)—should be supplemented with references to newly adopted regulatory acts under that Regulation. These include provisions for Advanced Driver Distraction Warning Systems, Direct Vision for trucks and buses, and Driver Control Assistance Systems.

As a result, Annexes I and II of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 are to be amended in line with the updates detailed in the Annexes to this Regulation.

Annex I currently lists several UN Regulations, such as UN Regulation No 34, No 79, No 100, No 117, No 127, and No 152—all of which have since been amended by UNECE WP.29. It is therefore appropriate to revise the list in Annex I to incorporate these updates. Notably:

• The 02 series of amendments to UN Regulation No 152 introduces requirements for advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS) capable of detecting and responding to pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to passenger cars. Annex I currently refers only to the original version of this regulation, which addresses car-to-car collisions. Therefore, it is necessary to update Annex I to reference the 02 series of amendments to cover car-to-pedestrian and car-to-bicycle scenarios.
• The 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No 127 expands the head impact zone requirements to enhance pedestrian safety. Since Annex I currently refers to the 02 series, an update is required to align with the latest pedestrian protection provisions.

UNECE WP.29 has also adopted several new regulations:

1. UN Regulation No 167 – Direct Vision
2. UN Regulation No 169 – Event Data Recorders for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
3. UN Regulation No 171 – Driver Control Assistance Systems.

These regulations should be included in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144.

Furthermore, the 04 series of amendments to UN Regulation No 117 includes requirements for the wet grip performance of worn tyres. To allow industry time for adaptation, vehicles in use may continue to be fitted with new tyres approved under the 02 and 03 series of amendments to this Regulation until 6 January 2029.

At the 192nd session of UNECE WP.29 in March 2024, the EU and its Member States voted in favor of UN Regulation No 171 on Driver Control Assistance Systems. To ensure compliance for vehicles equipped with these systems, Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 should be updated to include a reference to UN Regulation No 171, applicable on an “if fitted” basis.

Accordingly, Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 should be amended to reflect all these changes.

To find out more about the EU regulations vehicles and the EU type approval, please do not hesitate to contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research.